The illustrative embodiments described in the present application are useful in systems including those for providing funds accounting and evidencing and more particularly are useful in systems including those for providing for accounting of postage and evidence of postage by printing postage indicia on an envelope using an ink jet printer.
Mailing machines including postage meters often employ an ink-jet printing unit for printing evidence of postage payment in the form of postage indicia. Systems for printing information on a mailing medium are described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,994B2, issued Apr. 22, 2003 to Manduley.
Certain mailing machines are not able to print near the top edge of the medium such as an envelope. However, certain markings that may be used on mail pieces must be printed near the top edge of an envelope. If a mailing machine prints a Facing Identifier mark (FIM) on an envelope, postal regulations would allow a non-fluorescent ink to be used. However, if used, the FIM must be printed within one-eighth inch from the top of the envelope.
Conventional mailing machines with postage meters that print using ink jet printing technology typically use a printing registration plate. The registration plate has an upper registration edge along the top border of the envelope in the paper path so that the surface of the envelope is constrained to be not more than 2 mm from the ink jet print head. Also, the envelope is constrained so that it does not contact the surface of the print head. If contact with the print head occurs, the printed image will be smeared and the anti-wetting coating on the face of the print head will be damaged. FIM marks must be printed near the top edge of the envelope. Since the upper registration edge on the registration plate blocks this area, ink jet printing postage meters cannot print FIM marks in the required position.
Accordingly, the prior art does not provide a mailing machine for printing near the top edge of media such as an envelope.